The Daniel Dubai Raymond Weil Freelancer Pop Bicompax Chronograph brings the light blue trend into style with its vibrant contrasts, moody dial, and name inspired by pop music. There’s a lot of interesting texture between the dial, case, and bezel.
The Raymond Weil Freelancer Chronograph is a timepiece you can take anywhere, anytime with ease, and use for anything. The new Freelancer Pop Bicompax Chronograph is a limited edition that stays true to the model’s usual look while enlivening it with a generous splash of vibrant color.
The new limited edition case is entirely made from titanium. More and more Swiss brands have recently been using this lightweight, hypoallergenic material that improves comfort, especially in larger cases. Here, the 43.5mm wide, 13.7mm thick case has a brushed surface for a practical look. The two pump pushers and the crown are also brushed. Protecting the dial is a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides. Around it is a fixed bezel with a brushed black ceramic insert. Like the other models in the collection, it features a tachymeter scale with white markings, with the actual tachymeter lettering printed in cyan. The case is water resistant to 100m thanks to the screwed caseback, which is more than enough for everyday life.
Design-wise, the dial is nearly identical to other two-register chronographs in the Freelancer collection. What’s unique to the limited edition is the cyan detailing. The diagonal outer pulsometer scale, the subdials, and the central chronograph hand are all in the same color. It’s no wonder this playful, bright blue hue is so prevalent throughout the watch industry. It complements almost every dial. Sailboat-shaped applied indices surround the black dial with a strong fumé effect. At 9 o’clock is a small-second subdial, and at 3 o’clock is the 30-minute register for the chronograph function. The baton-shaped minute and hour hands are not painted like the chronograph, making it harder to confuse the two. Both the Raymond Weil and automatic text are printed rather than applied, giving it a smoother, cleaner look. Just above 6 o’clock is a proportional date window with playful text. The date wheel matches the color of the dial, showing the attention to detail the brand has taken over time to create.
Peering through the caseback is the Raymond Weil Cal. RW5030, built on the Sellita SW510 architecture based on the acclaimed Valjoux 7750. This reliable workhorse will run for up to 56 hours at 4Hz. Exclusive to the limited edition, the skeletonized black rotor features cyan lettering. Completing the watch is a five-link titanium bracelet with double push button release.
Price and availability for the Raymond Weil Freelancer Pop Bicompax Chronograph:
The new Raymond Weil Freelancer Pop Bicompax Chronograph is made entirely from titanium, yet is priced at $3,995, just a few hundred dollars more than the standard steel model. Only 400 pieces will be available. Price: $3,995
Brand Raymond Weil Model Freelancer Pop Bi-Compax Chronograph Case Size 43.5mm x 13.7mm Case Material Titanium Water Resistance 100m Crystal Sapphire with anti-reflective coating on both sides Dial Black fumé and cyan Strap Five-link titanium bracelet with double push button release Movement RW5030 Power Reserve 56 hours Availability Limited to 400 pieces Price US$3,995
